Process and apparatus for treating hydrccarbons



t v l 1,627,436 May 3' 1927- w. R.. HOWARD PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBONS original Filed June 9.v 1922 www' I e wmaam Howard Y b Y @Mmjwm Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES izwe PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. HOWARD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNI- VERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING HYDRCCARBONS.

Application led June 9,v 1922, Serial This invention relates to improvements in process and apparatus for treating hydroearbons, and refers moreparticularly to a process and apparatus for obtaining lower boiling point products from heavy oils by subjecting the latter to the actionof heat and pressure.

My invention relates specifically to a process and apparatus for the treatment of oil under heat and pressure wherein the vapors are forced to pass through the heated liquid in a secondary still before passing out through the vapor line, and provides for a. process wherein the liquid through which the vapors are forced to iass, may consist of' the reflux condensate co lectcd in an inner still in the main. distilling apparatus, and one in which this reflux liquid. if desired, may be kept separate from the liquid in the primary distilling apparatus but subjected to the same heat and pressure as the liquid in the primary still. for redistillation.

The single figure in the drawing is a side elevational view of the apparatus showing my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 designates the primary still. which may be of the usual horizontal Shell type of still shown or. if' desirable. a vertical shell still may be used. Thisl still 1 is connected with a .set of tubes Q i-j.' thc upright legs il and 4. forming in effect the well .known Heine boiler f vpe. The still may be heated by meansl of th.n burner i in fire box (3. ln side the shell 1 is mourned a closed shell i', of smaller diameter and length to which iattached at the top av vapor lineA S. The closed shell T ma;v be supported by one or more swinging rods or the rods 7. Extending from the bottom ol the inner shell T is a pipe 9. which leads to a point near the top of the shell l and above the top of thil inner shell 7. termii'iatingr as shown at it?. A\'ear the top of the inner shell T is a drawoti line l1 for withdrawing the liquid theret'roni. having its inlet end submerged in the body of oil in the shell 7 as shown at 3l and its outlet connected to a receptacle or tank (not shown). By manipulating the valves l2 and 13. if desired. the liquid overflowing Yfrom the shell i' may be directed to the main body of oil in the tubes and primariv still by closing valve 12 and opening valve 123 which allows circulation by gravity and con- No. 567,034. Renewed. March 3, 1927.

vection. The liquid level in the shell 7 is above the level A, and through the force of gravity the excess will be reintroduced to the tubes. The convection upward in leg 3 and downward in leg 4 will assist in returning the excess through line 11. lVhen operating normally. the valve 13 is closed and all excess reflux which overflows from the shell 7 is discharged through the valve 12. As higher temperatures are maintained, the liquid in the shell 7 decreases in volume due to the vapors passing over aerial condenser 19. The outer shell 1 is provided with the manhole 14, and at one end of the tubes at the bottom is provided a rcsiduum drawoff line 15 controlled by valve 16.

The still 1 is provided with charging line 1i' controlled by a valve 18. The vapor line 8 connects to the lower end of a reflux condenser 19, which is provided with the line 20 leading through the water condenser 21 and thence connected with the receiver 22. The receiver 22 is provided with pressure rclief pipe Q3. controlled by valve S24; and liquid drawoff lines Q5 and QG controlled by valves 2T and 28. Liquid level gauge 2t) and pressure gauge 30 are also provided on the receiver.

The operation of the process is as follows: 'lne outer .still 1. tubes 2. legs if and 4. are charged to. sav, the level indicated by the line A\ through the charging line 1T. The osi is then heated to a distilling temperature by means of the burners As the vapors are formed above the liquid level A. they will gather in the still head or the space above said level. and due to the pressure generated b v the expansion and distillation of the liquid. they will be forced into the pipe il through the inlet l0. enter ing the inner shell T. As these vapors increase. the)Y pass troni the inner shell i" through the vapor line S into thil aerial condenser auf: through lint` 2t) and water condenser 2l on into the receiver. 'l'he valvcsl, and '2S being closed in starting the operation. allows a vapor pressure. to be. generated throughout the entir` ostern. lVhen thisI pressure has reached t; .icsired operating pressure. valve Ll-t is u o regulate same As the heavier vapo; tvfre condensed the aerial condenser 1Q. they will fall back through the vapor line S and into the inner shell 7, the lighter vapors and incondensable gases passing on to the receiver. lVhen the liquid level in the inner shell reaches the overflow pipe 1l, the overflow will pass out through valve 12 to a tank (not shown) or with valve 12 closed, and valve 13 opened, may be admitted again to the system into the tubes. As further vapors accumulate in the still head, they are forced through pipe 9 and forced to-bubble up through the liquid in the inner shell 7, thus cleansing the vapors and allowing the lighter i vapors to pass to the aerial condenser 19,

forming a better product. The inner shell i' being in the top of the liquid inside the shell l is maintained at a constant high temperature, and it will be seen that the reflux liquid is further cracked and the vapors therefrom forced through the condenser and receiver without the reflux admixing with the contents of/the shell 1. This is a desirable feature and does not destroy the viscosity of the oil in the shell 1, which may be drawn off continuously through pipe 15 and used for the purpose of making lubricating oils, which would not be the case if the reflux continually mixed with same.

The following is an illustrative run of my invention: The tubes, legs and still are continuousl charged with a Califorma fuel oil o s y, 24 gravity Baume, and heated to a temperature of say, ZOO-750 degs. F. The apparatus is preferably mamtained under an operating pressure of 100 pounds to the square inch. By heating the oil to such temperature under such pressure, a yield of 3040% of pressure distillate is obtained having a gravity of 48-52 Baum which on further distillation, will produce 20-25% of commercial gasoline, based on the original charging stock.

-I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oils, the combination with a still adapted to contain a bulk supply of oil, of a closed shell supported therein, a conduit in the vapor spacci ,of the still terminatin in the body of liquid in the closed shell to cause the vapors released in the still to pass through the oil in the shell, means for withy drawing vapors from the shell connected to a reflux condenser, and for returning the reflux condensate to said shell, liquid drawoff means communicating with the shell and means for maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil and vapors under treatment.

2. In an apparatus' for converting oils, the combination with a still in which a body of oil is maintained, and having a vapor space above said body, of a closed shell supported therein, a pipe located in the vapor space of the still communicating with the lower portion of said shell, means for heating the still, drawoff means from the shell connected to a reflux condenser, also `constituting the means for returning the condcnsate to the closed shell for further treat ment and a discharge for removing the excess reflux condensate from said shell and means for maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil and vapors under treatment.

3. A process of converting oils, consisting in maintaining a bulk supply in a still and heatmg same to a vaporizing temperature, causing the vapors to pass through a body of oil maintained in a closed shell within the still, withdrawing the uncondensed vapors from the closed shell, subjecting them to a reflux condensing action, returning the reflux condensate to the closed shell for retreatment and maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil and vapors under treatment.

4. A process of converting oils, consisting in causing the vapors released from a heated body of oil maintained in a still to pass through a body of reflux condensate maintained in a closed shell within said still, and then subjecting the uncondensed vapors to a reflux condensing action and returning the reflux condensate to the body maintained in the closed shell, maintaining 'a superatmospheric pressure on the oil and vapors under treatment. l

5. A process of converting oils, consisting in causing the vapors released from a heated body of oil maintained in a still to pass lthrou h 'a body of reflux condensate maing temperature and pressure 1n an enlarged zone, subjecting vapors evolved from the oil to reflux condensation, maintaining in a second zone a body of reflux condensate in heat interchange relationship with said first body of liquid hydrocarbons, passing oil constituents from said first enlarged zone into said Second zone, continuousl removing oil constituents from said secon zone, subjecting such removed oil constituents to a cracking temperature and subsequently uniting them with said first mentioned body of liquid hydrocarbons.

7. A process for cracking hydrocarbons comprising maintaining a4 body of liquid hydrocarbons under cracking conditions of temperature and pressure in an enlarged zone, subjecting vapors evolved from the oil to reflux qclilensation, maintaining in a second zone ody of reflux condensate, in externally heating said second zone, assing vapors evolved from the oil in said rst enlarged zone into said second zone, removing litlid oil constituents from said second zone, su

jecting the same to a crackingtempera- Y ture and subsequently introducing them to said first mentioned body of liquid hydrocarbons. i

8. An apparatus for cracking hydrocarbons comprising a heating zone, a reaction chamber, means .for subjecting vapors evolved from the oil to reflux condensation, an oil receiver adapted to be externally heated by hydrocarbon oill which has passed through said heating zone, means for returning refluxv condensate from the reflux condensing means to said oil receiver, means for passing oil constituents from said oil receiver to said heating zone.

9. An apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil comprising a heating zone, a reaction zone, dephlegmating means, an oil receiver positioned interiorily in said reaction zone, means for introducing reflux condensate from the dephlegmating means to said oil receiver, means for introducing hydrocarbon constituents from said reaction zonev into said oil receiver, means for connectingV said oil receiver with said heating zone fwhereby portions of the oil constituents accumulating in said oil receiver may be passed to said heating zone.

WILLIAM R. HOWARD. 

